Well, I'll get my Irish naming book for this one!
Most real Irish names come from the old Gaelic such as
Aidan (from
Aodhan),
Kieran (from
Ciaran),
Bridget (from
Brigid),
Enya ( from
Eithne) .
So fake would be anything that isn't directly from the old Gaelic and those fall loosely into two catagories.
Irish Nicknames, Irishizations & Fakes, let me explain! :)
Irish nicknames came about in the 1900's when immagrints from
Ireland to
America wanted to a bit of their homeland so they used Irish nicknames, from regular names, for nicknames and then as first names! Examples:
Annie (from
Anne), Kate/Katie/Kitty (from
Katherine), Nelly/Nora (from
Eleanor),
Molly (from
Mary), Maggie/Peggy (from
Margaret), Mike/Mickey (from
Michael),
Liam (from
William), Pat/Paddy (from
Patrick).
Now, Irishizations are Gaelic versions of other names like:
Caitriona is a Gaelic form of the Latin name
Catherine,
Sheila is a form of Latin
Cecilia,
Siobhan is a form of
Joan the feminie form of Hebrew name
John,
Maire &
Moira are forms of the Hebrew name
Mary &
Miriam,
Sean is a from of Hebrew
John, Daibhead the Gaelic form of Hebrew name
David, and
Padraig is a form of the Latin name
Patrick and
Patrice (St.
Patrick wasn't actually Irish he was really a slave from England who when he ran away from his Irish master later went back to
Ireland as a missionary/preacher).
Fakes are names that people usual think of as Irish but they really aren't like
Owen &
Megan which are really Welsh and
Fiona which is really from Scottish Gaelic! :)
Here are some really Irish names!
BrianKevinNiall /
NeilLeary
ConnorDermotKeegan
KeeleyAlmaCearaDeirdreDervalNiamhSheenaTaraThis message was edited 11/5/2005, 12:54 PM